Labour Mounts Major Bid to Block Tory Benefits Reforms

Date: 24 June 2025

By: Staff Political Correspondent

In a significant political move, Labour MPs have mounted a major bid to block the Conservative government’s proposed changes to the welfare benefits system, citing deep concerns about the impact on vulnerable households across the UK.

The proposed reforms, announced last month by Work and Pensions Secretary Jeremy Quinn, aim to tighten eligibility for certain disability benefits, reduce Universal Credit support for long-term unemployed individuals, and introduce stricter conditions for claimants. Ministers argue the changes are necessary to “rebalance” the welfare state and reduce government spending, claiming the system is being “overstretched” by increasing costs and fraud.

However, Labour MPs, backed by trade unions and disability rights groups, have tabled a motion in Parliament demanding a full parliamentary vote on the proposals before implementation. The opposition is calling for an immediate halt to the changes, labeling them “cruel, ill-timed, and economically shortsighted.”

Angela Rayner, Labour’s Deputy Leader, said in the Commons:

“This is not welfare reform. This is a ruthless attack on people who are already struggling to make ends meet. We will not sit back and watch the government push thousands into deeper poverty.”

The motion has gained support from a cross-party group of MPs, including members of the SNP, Liberal Democrats, and several Conservative backbenchers who represent constituencies with high levels of benefit claimants.

Key objections raised by Labour MPs include:

• The planned reassessment of Personal Independence Payment (PIP), which could see thousands of disabled individuals lose vital support.
• A new policy requiring Universal Credit claimants to accept work after six months or face sanctions, regardless of job suitability.
• Reduced housing benefit rates for under-35s living alone.

Labour’s Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary, Alison McGovern, described the policy as “an economic own goal” that will “increase homelessness and strain on NHS mental health services.”

The government maintains that the reforms are designed to encourage more people into work and reduce dependency. A spokesperson for the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) stated:

“We are committed to a fair welfare system that supports those who need it while ensuring work always pays.”

The parliamentary debate is scheduled for later this week, with a potential vote that could prove a critical test of unity within the Conservative Party. Political analysts say that if enough Tory rebels back Labour’s motion, it could force the government to reconsider or delay the changes.

Meanwhile, campaigners have planned nationwide protests and petitions, urging the public to pressure MPs to “defend the dignity and rights of benefit claimants.”